Clay-press



R. F. MEYER.

CLAY PRES S. APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 19]!)- 1 73,903. Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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I I m R. F. MEYER.

CLAY PRESS. APPLICATION man MAY2,1919.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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R. F. MEYER.

CLAY PRESS APPLIQAIION FILED MAY 2, I919.

1,37 3,903. Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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CLAY-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed May 2, 1919. Serial No. 294,300.

1 '0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that T, P-ALPH F. MEYER, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Freeport, in the countyof Armstrong and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clay- Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in brick presses and it is particularly directed to novel mechanism for forming clay runner bricks.

The principal object 01'' the invention is to provide improved means for simultaneously forming the main channel and side outlet or outlets in a clay runner brick during the formation or molding of the brick.

l/Vith the "foregoing object outlined and with other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter de scribed in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a front view partly in section of my improved mechanism showing the parts in position to receive a ball of clay.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the position of the parts at the completion of the molding operation.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modification showing the elements in the positions they occupy at the completion or" molding.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of said modification, but showing the positions of the elements after the brick has been formed.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a molded brick.

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Figs. 1

and 2 tions.

Figs. 8 and 9 are details of the core and one of the side outlet plungers.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, 1 designates the frame of the press in which is slidably mounted a vertically movable cross head 2. This cross head is reciprocateol by suitable power mechanism (not shown) operating by the rods 3. The cross head carries a mold 4: having a. brick ejector 5 provided with an operating stem 6, which is actuated once during each reciprocation of the cross head,

but showing still further modificaby contacting with the support 7, upon which the "frame is mounted.

The mold 4 isprovideol with a horizontally reciprocating plunger or core 8, which forms the side outlet in the brick, and this plunger has a roller 9 movable in a cam slot 10 provided in a vertically extending station my post 11. 'By this mechanism, it will be seen that the plunger 8 will be moved into and out of the mold once during each reciprocation. of the cross head. One or more plungers may be used on one side or on all sides or the mold to form one or more side openings at the same time.

Located above the mold 4 is a vertical shaft 12, having a fixed pulley 13, which is belt driven from any suitable source} of power. The shaft is provided at its lower end with a fixed core lat arranged to occupy the central portion of the mold, when said mold is moved into the position shown in Fig. 2, and the core or plunger 8 is milled on its inner end, as shown at 8*, Fig. 8, to fit the circumference of core 14.

In operation, assuming the mechanism to be in the position shown in Fig. 1 a ball of clay is placed in the mold i and rests upon the ejector 5. As soon as the cross head moves upwardly, the ejector is moved into the position shown in Fig. 2 and the ball of clay then drops further into the mold. During the upward movement of the cross head the roller 9 will travel in the slot 10 and move the plunger 8 into the mold, thus forming a depression in the side of the clay ball.- Simultaneously the mold brings the clay into engagement with the revolving core 14: and this core forms the central channel of the brick.

When the mold moves downwardly the formed brick will be moved away from the core 1 1. been partly moved clear of the core 14, the roller 9 will travel in the slot 10 and withdraw the plunger 8 from the mold. Then when the lower end of the rod 6 engages the support 7, the ejector will be brought to a stop and the molded brick will beejected.

This molded brick is shown in Fig. 5 and it will be seen that it has a central channel 15. which was formed by the core 14, and a side opening 16, that was formed by the plunger or core 8.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is illustrated a modified mechanism for reciprocating the side opening forming plunger 8 In this instance,

After the brick in the mold has the plunger moves in asleeve 20 and a slot 10 is stationarily supported adjacent the path of the mold and its lower end 22 is shaped to catch the roller 9 as the mold moves upwardly.

The plunger 8 is preferably vented .as shown at 8 in Figs. 8 and 9 to provide an escape for the clay lying between the revolv ing core 14 and the end of plunger 8 when the two are brought together. This vent may be as large as desired. In some cases it is of advantage to use a release valve as well as a vent, to prevent the suction caused by withdrawal of the plunger, from drawing the side opening out of shape.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the mold l is stationarily mounted in the frame 1? and the cross head 2" is moved toward and away from the mold by means of the rods 3". Mounted in' the frame is a rotatable but non-axially movable sleeve 50 supported by a bearing 51 and rotated by means of the pulley 13". A shaft 12 is slidably mounted in said sleeve and is prevented from rotating relatively to the sleeve by means of the key 52, which engages a longitudinal slot 53 in theshaft 12". The shaft is moved toward and away from the mold by the cross head 2 and it carries the movable core 149. The mold, in this instance, is provided with a plunger 8 having a rollen 9 which engages a cam slot 1O formed in the post ll fixed to the recipro eating cross head.

With this construction, a ball of clay is placed in the mold 4t and the core 14 is moved down into the mold. As the core descends, the cam slot 1O will cause the plunger 8 to move toward the center of the mold for the purpose of forming the side outlet in the brick.

The construction shown in Fig. 7 is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 6, with the exception that the stationary mold 4 has two side plungers 8 and the reciprocating cross head 2 carries a plurality of posts 11 having cam slots 10 for reciprocating the plungers.

The foregoing embodiments of my invention are illustrative of the mechanism I emparting from the spirit of the invention as I set forth in the claims.

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is ploy and I am aware that various changes .-;may be made in this mechanism without decontain plastic material and cooperating;

with said die member for forming a longitudinal opening in said plastic materiah' means for moving said mold towardandg... away from the dle member,-a plunger mov;

able toward and away fromthe interior of said mold, and automatically actuated means i for reciprocating said plunger.

2. In a clay press, the combination with a core, of a hollow mold movable toward" and away from'said core, a plunger carried;

by said mold and movable through oneside of the mold, a roller carried by said plunger, and a stationary cam track in which the roller travels during movement of the mold.

3. In a clay press, the combination witha rotatable core, of a hollow mold movable toward and away from said core, a plunger movable through one side of said mold, and automatically operable means for reciprocat ing the plunger during movement of said mold. u

4:. In a clay press, a core, a cross head movable toward and away from said core, a i

mold carried by the cross head and adapted in one position to surround sald core, a plunger carried by the mold and mounted for sliding movement toward and away from the interior of the mold, and a stationary p,

cam track located adjacent the path of movement of the mold and engaged by said plunger for reciprocating the latter.

In a clay press, the combination with a I" die member, of a hollow mold member adapted to contain plastic material and cooperat ing with said die member for forming a longitudinal opening in said plastic material,

In testimony whereof I afiix my. signature. T

RALPH F. MEYER. 

